By Michelle Westgate
For the 2007 ING New York Marathon, the safety and welfare of every athlete involved was the highest priority. Amateur radio experts (hams) positioned throughout the course played a key role in assuring a smooth event for each person involved.
“We had a mission and we fulfilled that mission very well,” said Steve Mendelsohn, the director of communications for the race.
Mendelsohn said, the race dropout numbers were slightly higher than last year, at about 350 people. He did not believe the increase in those leaving the race could be attributed to any one factor.
Between the communicators along the course, the medical stations set up with paramedics and other emergency personnel and the safety trucks located at the “family reunion” site, athletes received rapid care when necessary.
Even when the race was over, the work of the ham radio operators was not done. At the family reunion, athletes walked out of Central Park, into a sea of people searching for their loved ones. Although stations were set up alphabetically, the situation was overwhelming for some.
“We are here to assist runners and families when they cannot find each other,” said Tom Raffaelli, amateur radio supervisor of the family reunion.
Raffaelli is the emergency services officer for the Westchester Emergency Communications Association (WECA), a radio club located in Westchester county. WECA members participate in many professional events throughout the year and provide support for the Red Cross in times of emergency. WECA is one of the many clubs involved in providing a professional level of communications to the ING New York Marathon.
“We also help athletes who are lost,” Raffaelli said. He explained that his team provides skilled interpreters for athletes who cannot communicate otherwise, whether it be through language or sign. His team provides a key service for marathon athletes each year.
The ING New York Marathon without amateur radio communications would be a very different race. Runners depend on these volunteers to keep them safe during and after the race.
“There is a phenomenal amount of satisfaction in seeing runners cross the finish line safely because of my communications team,” said Mendelsohn. As the communications director of the marathon for more than thirty years, his team has helped thousands each year achieve their goals. “That is why I do this race each year.”
Paula Radcliffe and 10-month-old child after she won the women’s division of the New York Marathon. Radcliffe was in moderated training to race throughout her pregnancy. (Michelle Westgate)